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Zion80 At Ashkenaz Festival

Jon Madof

Jon and his kids

Keith and Jon

Jon with Zion80

Klezmer Podcast 119- Jon Madof. Continuing with the series from the Ashkenaz Festival in Toronto, my guest is Jon Madof of the band Zion80 from New York City. The powerhouse 11-member band plays Afrobeat influenced Carlbach repertoire. We hear the track Asher Bara from their self-titled album Zion80.

10 December 2014

Klezmer Podcast 118- David Buchbinder. Canadian Trumpeter Devid Buchbinder returns to Klezmer Podcast as part of my series from the 2014 Ashkenaz Festival in Toronto. David is involved in several projects, and his Odessa/Havana group has released their second album, Walk To The Sea, a continuation of his exploration of Latin/Jewish/Jazz music, with Pianist Hilario Duran. From the album, we hear the track Coffee Works.

19 November 2014

Klezmer At Ashkenaz 2014

Klezmer Podcast 117: Briga
This episode begins a series of interviews made during the Ashkenaz Festival 2014 held in Toronto. My guest on this episode is Brigitte Briga Dajczer of the band Briga, based in Montreal. She has released several albums to date, and here we listen to Filipovtsi Kutchek from her album Wake.
Run time: 22:50.

06 November 2014

I'm singing this Sunday at 5 pm at Barbes in Park Slope, with the Yiddish Lullabies & Love Songs project, as part of Ljova's Sunday@5 residency at Barbes. Hope to see some of you there, and tell your friends!

As part of Ljova's Sunday@5 residency at Barbes, Inna Barmash is bringing back her Yiddish Lullabies & Love Songs project, featuring Lev 'Ljova' Zhurbin﻿ on viola, Shoko Nagai﻿ on accordion and piano, Dmitry Ishenko﻿ on bass, and a special guest, Sam Sadigursky, on clarinet. The program explores art songs and folk songs, including rarely heard treasures of old Soviet era anthologies of songs collected in the shtetls of Ukraine in the 1920s and art songs by Soviet composers set to Yiddish poetry.

About Inna Barmash

Inna first started singing in Yiddish back in her home city of Vilnius, Lithuania as a child in the late 80s. After immigrating to the US with her family in 1991, Inna has continued singing in Yiddish, Russian and other languages with numerous klezmer and folk groups in the NY area. She is the vocalist of the chamber folk band Ljova & the Kontraband and co-leads the gypsy dance party band Romashka.

The "Yiddish Lullabies & Love Songs" recording was made possible through a grant by the BluePrint Fellowship project of COJECO, funded by the UJA-Federation of New York and Genesis Philanthropy Group.

REVIEW OF THE CD RELEASE SHOW AT JOE'S PUB:

"...At Joe’s Pub, Inna Barmash led an excellent band ... through a set of frequently spellbinding, emotionally rich new arrangements of old Jewish folk tunes from the Ukraine and points further west. In this performance, Barmash built a warmly personable rapport with the audience, sharing her passion and erudite knowledge of obscure treasures brought to light by both Dmitri Shostakovich as well as legendary pre-Holocaust archivist Moishe Beregovsky. . . . As nuanced a singer as [Inna] Barmash is in the studio – her new album, Yiddish Love Songs and Lullabies, many of which she played this evening – is fantastic, but live is where her heart is...." - New York Music Daily

ISLE of KLEZBOS is a soulful, fun-loving powerhouse all-gal klezmer sextet, formed in 1998 by Metropolitan Klezmer drummer/bandleader Eve Sicular, touring festivals from Vienna to Vancouver, with broadcast credits from The L Word to CBSSunday Morning. Individual bandmate experiences, in genres from bebop to baroque and far beyond, enhance the group's fresh approach to Yiddish traditions: playful irreverence and deep respect. Klezbos collaborations have also featured singer/songwriter Jill Sobule, with her original musical adaptation of YENTL (debuted song cycle at Joe's Pub; 2015 performances to include Lincoln Center's David Rubenstein Atrium), commissions for artists as diverse as Kiki Smith and Scissor Sisters, and 16 annual KlezBiGay Pride shows with special guests including Lisa Kron, Jennifer "Circus Amok" Miller, Deb Margolin, and more. Stellar Klezbos lineup features alumnae of Juilliard, Eastman and Manhattan Schools of Music, as well as Harvard and the electro scene in Japan. Our debut disc, GREETINGS FROM THE ISLE OF KLEZBOS, was honored by the OUTmusic Awards. New album LIVE FROM BROOKLYN (concert recordings from Brooklyn Center of the Perfoming Arts), launched at Joe's Pub this spring, has been widely acclaimed. The band will also reprise Eve Sicular's "J. EDGAR KLEZMER: Songs from My Grandmother's FBI Files" musical documentary theater, in February at the Centenary Stage Company.

03 August 2014

I had the chance to watch this amazing film today in Sao Paulo, Brazil:

In 1948, a group of World War II pilots, mostly from America, volunteered to fight for Israel in the War of Independence. As members of “Machal” – volunteers from abroad – this ragtag band of brothers not only turned the tide of the war, preventing the possible annihilation of Israel at the very moment of its birth; they also laid the groundwork for the Israeli Air Force.

30 July 2014

WINNER PICTURES PRESENTS “90 AND GOING STRONG” AN OFF-
BROADWAY MUSICAL FEATURING IRVING FIELDS, FYVUSH FINKEL, AND
SOL YAGED
Winner Pictures is presenting the most unique and entertaining show in town
called “90 And Going Strong” at Baruch College August 11th, 2014.
“90 AND GOING STRONG” features 3 performers over the age of 90: the world
famous pianist and composer Irving Fields, (age 99), Master Clarinetist Sol
Yaged (age 92) and his 5 piece band, and the comedic/acting sensation Fyvush
Finkel(91).
This type of show has never been done before, with three Top-Listed Talents all
over the age of 90.
Irving Fields is the oldest working musician in the United States. He performs
some of his greatest hits of the 1940's, 50's, and 60’s such as "Miami Beach
Rumba," "Managua, Nicaragua," and "Chantez, Chantez."
Fyvush Finkel is a Broadway legend and famed Hollywood actor who at the age
of 92 is still as talented as ever.
Sol Yaged is one of the greatest clarinetists of the last 50 years.
On June 18th, “90 AND GOING STRONG” showed for the first time in front of
audiences and had a phenomenal response.
On August 11th we will also be celebrating Irving Field’s 99th Birthday. This show
is truly one of the most important shows of the year and is guaranteed to inspire
and entertain all of its patrons.
Tickets are available by calling (212) 352-3102 or at
https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/937561. For more information about “90 AND
GOING STRONG” please visit http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/bpac/###

Klezmer Podcast 116- Isle Of Klezbos. This Podcast episode features Eve Sicular of theIsle Of Klezbos, based in New York City. Their latest album is Live From Brooklyn, and features a wide range of Klezmer styles, from traditional to jazz and reggae. The band has a lot of exciting news to share about current and upcoming projects and gigs. Hear Eve give all the inside scoop, plus hear about the in-depth research that was done to get the album ready.
Run time: 32:48.

28 May 2014

JewJamSouth: A four-day celebration of Jewish choral and Klezmer music at Ramah Darom

We are excited to announce the launch of a brand-new program at Ramah Darom: JewJamSouth!

JewJamSouth is a four-day celebration of Jewish choral and klezmer music. It is designed for passionate Jewish choral singers, klezmer instrumentalists, Hebrew and Yiddish singers and their families. Whether you are an experienced practitioner or a newcomer, this four-day festival will offer a feast of musical inspiration, ideas and fun!

JewJamSouth is open to people of all levels and backgrounds, and no previous experience is needed. Beginners are welcome.

06 May 2014

Klezmer podcast 114- Estelle Goldfarb. This episode features a two-part interview with Violinist Estelle Goldfarb. Estelle talks about her new album Naissance, and her musical journey from classical to hip hop, acoustic to electric. We hear the tracks Tchek and 10h22.Run time: 41:39.

Update from Estelle, 8 May, 2014:

Dear friends,

I am very happy to let you know that my album “Naissance” is going to be released on 6 May.

03 May 2014

Klezmer Podcast 113- Sarah Aroeste. This episode features an interview with Sarah Aroeste, a Ladino singer specializing in music from the Sephardic tradition of Greece. We hear the track Gracia, from her album of the same name.Run time: 22:19.

Klezmer Podcast 112- Judith Cohen. The interview guest on this episode is Judith Cohen, an Ethnomusicologist from Canada. Judith specializes in Judeo-Spanish (Ladino) music. We hear the track Ester Mi Bien from her album Canciones De Sefarad.

22 February 2014

Klezmer Podcast 111- Tiembla El Moehl. This episode features an interview with the bandTiembla El Moehl, from Buenos Aires, Argentina. They play a lively, upbeat style of Jewish/Klezmer, and keep very busy with Jewish events around the area, plus touring around South America. We hear their track Shuster.Run time: 27:43

Klezmer Podcast 110- Klezmerson. On this episode my interview guests are Benjamin Shwartz and Dan Zlotnik of the band Klezmerson, from Mexico City. Klezmerson blends Latin rhythms and Klezmer to create a unique musical style all their own. We hear the track Augmented from the album 7. I caught the band at Skirball Center in Los Angeles on 5 October, 2013.Run time: 17:40

30 January 2014

Klezmer Podcast 109- Jaffa Road. This episode features an interview with the members of Jaffa Road, while they were in residence at Kleztival in Sao Paulo, Brazil. We hear the track Avre Los Ojos from the album Where The Light Gets In. We also hear from Aviva on her track Chadesh Yameinu from the album when I arrived you were already there. And we hear the jazz Sax and Vocal of Sundar on I Thought About You from his album What A Dream I Had.Run time: 37:29

29 January 2014

Klezmer Podcast 108- London Klezmer Quartet. This episode features a return visit with Ilana Cravitz of London Klezmer Quartet. LKQ have released their second album, Welcome to Butterfield Green N16. The album features both classic klezmer pieces and new works composed by Cravitz and band members Susi Evans and Carol Isaacs. We hear the track Butterfield Green Kolomeyke from the album. Others mentioned in the interview are Henry Sapoznik, Suzy Klein and Ernie Gruner.
Run time: 21:44.